Shifting mechanism.



1.6. VINCENT. SHIFIING MECHANISM D JULY 3.1916.

APPLICATION FIL Patented Nov. 11,`191;9.'

3 SHEETS-,SHEET I.

l. G. VINCENT.

SHIFTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED luLY 3.1916.

1,321, 1 65. 4 Patented Nov. 11, 1919 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JLG. VINCENT. sHlFTmG MECHANISM.

' HPPLCATION FILED JULY 3. 19116. 1,321,165. Patented Nov. 11,1919.

x, v l M w Vso UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEETcE.

JESSE'G. VINCENT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

SHIFTING MECHANISM.

Application led July 3, 1916.

'o al?, Awhom 'it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I. .lasse G. V1NCENT,

of Detroit, ll'ayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Shifting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motor vehicles, and particularly to the clutch and gear shifting mechanism thereof.

The salient object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical pre-selec tive type of gear shifting mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved forni of gear shifter mechanism operated by the clutch lever of a motor vehicle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following de.q scription taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this specification. and in which; f

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a .clutch and gearing of a motor vehicle embodying one form of 'this invention, parts. being4 broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan View, partly in section, of the gearing. and `ear shifter mechanism shown in Figfl, the section being approximately on the line 22 of Fig; 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section approximately on the line 3*'3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. an enlarged plan view of the operatingvand gear slifter elements with yparts broken away to more clearly illu;-k

trate the construction;

F ig. G is a fragmentary view of some of the parts illustrated in Fig. with one of the operating bars in another position;

Fig. is an enlarged detail section aproximately on the line 7--7 of Fig. l; and i Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section 0n the line 8`8 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents -a supporting casing mounted on the forward part of a motor vehicle and in the form shown it. houses the flywheel 11 of the motor. Detachable sections 12 and 13 of this easing also house the clutch 14 and gearing 15, respectively. A steering column 16 is Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Nov. 1 1, 1919.

serial No. 107,428.

suitably mounted on the vehicle and a gear selecting rod 1T is supported thereby.

A clutch operating lever 18, usually in the form of a foot lever, is pivotally mount.-A ed at 19 on the supportingcasing. rl`he clutch spring 20 may be compressed by the operator through the connection to the lever 18 comprising a yoke 21, a bell crank lere;

22, and a connecting link 23. These are t! usual clutch opeiatingconnections.

The clutch shaft 24 connects through beariiur 25 in the wall 2o of the supporting casing with a driving gear 27, and one of the elements 28 of a direct drive clutch. The gear Q7 is in constant mesh with a` gear 2) fixed on a parallel lay shaftv 30, upo'n which are also fixedly secured two otlwl gears 31 and` 32. A driven shaft 33 is arranged in line with the shaft 24, and l` slidably keyed thereon two gear elements 3ft and 35. In the. drawings these gear elements are shown in neutral position and it will be understood thatl the gear 34 may be moved forwardly to mesh with the gear 32 on the lay shaft, or it may be. moved from neutral position toward the rear to mesh with an intermediate reverse gear, not shown. Also, the gear element 35 carries the other element 36 of the. direct drive clutch above referred to. and it will be understood that the gear element 35 may be moved forwardly so that the clutch elements 28 and 3G engage for directly driving the shaft 33 by the shaft 24, or the. gear element 35'may be moved rearwardly to engage the gear 31 on the lay shaft.. f

By the above described arrangement three `different gear ratios and one reverse are obtamable as between the driving'shaft Z4 and the driven shaft A pair of parallel shifter rods 37 and 3S are, mounted in the casing adjacent the gears. The rods are. provided with arms 3S) and 4() respectively, rigi lly.secured lvto them and having yokes 41. and 41 adapted to slide the gear elements 34 and 3.) above referred to. These rods 37 and 38 are yieldingly retained in neutral and gear positions by spring dogs l2 operating in notches 43. One of these dogs is shown in Fig. 8, where it is seen that the ball 44 ,is spring pressed into the notches 43 by a bolt 45 and spring 46. There are three notches 43 in each of `and S5 are on the bar to and the lugs S-L and 86 areon the bar 47, and these lugs are so arranged on said bars relatively to the abutments 8l with which they cooperate that they will strike their respective abutof the bars t7 and i8 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. l, would leave both shifter rods 37 and 38 in their neutral position and no gears would be shifted. But if the operating rods 7 and 4S are rotated so that one of the lugs S3, S-t, S5 or S6 is in a gear position, the particular lng. say St for instance, will be moved into the annular space 82 of the branch arin 72 and the beveled face S7 of said lugs will strike the .beveled face 88 of the catch 73 and cause Stich catch to retract so that the lug 'may pass beyond it and abut against the wall 81.

AS soon as the lug Si has reached that position the catch 73 will spring outwardly to a position behind said lug, as shown in Fig. G, and upon the return movement of the bar :t7 the arni 72 and consequently' the shifter rod' will he, carried with it. This niovement of the shifter rod 37 will of course move the gea-1'v element 34 into` mesh with the gear 32 on thelay shaft 30, the other gear element 35 remaining in neutral position. When reaching fall gear position the shifter rod 37 will be yieldingly locked by one of the dogs l2 above described, and it will "consequentlyremain in that position until tlie bar 4T is again reciprocated when it will.r be returned to neutral position regardless ot' whether or not the lug S-t has been shifted by .the rotation of the bar t7 to preselect another gear. 2

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the lug' Si if properly positioned relative to its respective catch 73 will shift the gears intoli'rst or low gear position, the lug 83 will change them to second speed position, the lug Bti to third or direct drive position, and the lug 85 to reverse gear position.

The shiftingr lugs 83, S-t, 85, and 8G are beveled ott' somewhat on their sides so that the bars -l-7-`and t8 may be rotated regardless of the position of the. lugs relative to their respective catches 73. 'lhus if the bars i 47 and 48 were shifted so that the. lugs were alongside of theicatches. .the bars could not. be rotated for making' a gear seiection i't the sides of the lugs and catches were straight.

Beveling both of these parts permits preselection of the gears at any time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a gear shifting` mechanism, in combiiiatioii, two gear shifting devices, two operating elements movable to enable adjustment thereof to be etlected relatively to the gear shifting' devices to position them selectively in respect to said devices, common controlling means for Simultaneously movingl said elements in saidadjustment., said elements being also inovablevto movethe gear shifting devices. and vmeans. to connect either of said elements separately to `either of said gear shitting' devices, but not to both of the latter for ett'ecting' the movement of the connected device as the elements vare moved.

2. ln a `gear shifting' mechanism in conibination, two gear shifting devices, two operating` elements, n'ieans for siniultaneously moving' said eieiiients reetilinearly in opposite directions, and means independent of said tist named means for moving both said elements toconiiect either separately to either but not both of said devices for shiftim@T the connected device as the eiei'nents are moved.

I. ln a gear shifting mechanism, in combination, a. pair of shifter rods, two operating elements having' two sets of movements, one to eltcct the adjustment of said elements into posit-ion to engage and disengage said shifter rods, and the other to .effe-ct the gear shifting' movement of said rods, a, eeniiiioii controllingmeans for simultaneously moving both of said elements to connect either one thereof to either, but not both, of said shifter rods for enabiing one of Said rods to be shifted ata time. as said elements are moved, and common' means for simultaneously moving said elements in opposite directions to eti'ect such shitting' movement of the rods.

"t. 1n a motor vehicle. iii combination, gear shifter rods two operating' bars` means for rotating' one of said bars into engagement with one of said rods andnicans for siiiiultaneoustv movingsaid bars in opposimultaneously moving said bars into posi` tion to connect one of said bars with one of said rods. coiitrollino means for said liars operable in one direction to et'ect `the movement of both bars, and means for sinrultaneously moving said bars in opposite directions to shift the'engaged rod.

7. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a pair of parallel gear shifter rods, each adapted to be moved in opposite directions from a neutral position, two operating bars parallel to said rods and adjacent thereto, an arm on each of said rods having' a part 'bearing on each of said bars, and means on said bars for selectively engaging one of said parts and thereby movingone of said rods.

8. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a. pair of parallel j gear shifter rods, each adapted to be moved in opposite directions freni a neutral position, two operating bars parallel to said rods and adjacent thereto, an arm on each of said rods havinga part bearing on each of said bars, and lugs on said bars adapted to selectively engage one of said parts and thereby moveone of said rods. l

9. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a pair of parallel gear shifter rods, each adapted to be mpved in opposite directions from a neutral position, two operating bars parallel to said rods and 'having operating lugs, an arm on each of said rods having a part arranged in the path of travel of a lug on each bar, and means for selectively engaging one of said lugs with one of said 'parts to thereby move one of said rods.

10. In a motor vehicle, in combination,

' a pair of gear shifter rods, each adapted to move in either of two directions from a neutral position, two operating elen'icnts connected to move in opposite directions from inoperative to operative positions, common means for positively rotating said elements simultaneously to selectively connect one of said elements with one of said rods in position to shift the same, and Ineans independent of the first means for effecting said movement of the elements in opposite directions to operate said shifter rods.

11. ln a motor vehicle, in combination, a pair of gear'shifter rods, each adapted to move in eitherof two directions 'trom a neutral position, two `operating elements geared together to be moved simultaneously in opposite directions from inoperative to operativepositions, connnon means for positively rotating said elements to selectively connect either of them to one only of said rods to shift the latter, and means independent of the first means for so moving said elements.

12. In a motor vehicle, in combination,`

speed changing gears, gear shifter arms having sleeves, rods at right angle to said arms rotatable and rccimocable in said sleeves, projections on said rods, spring pressed means in said sleeves, means for rotating said rods so as to bring a projection on one rod in line with the spring pressed means in one sleeve, and means for reciprocating said rods and thus actuating one shifter arm. i

13. In a motor vehicle, in combination, speed changing gears, gear shifter arms having sleeves, rods at right angles to said arms, rotatable and reciprocable in said sleeves, projections on said rods, spring pressed means in said sleeves, means for rotating said rods so as to bring a projection on one rod in line with the spring pressed means in one sleeve, and clutch operated means for reciprocating said rods and thus actuating one shifter arm.

14. In a motor vehicle, in combination, speed changing gears comprising a main shaft and a lay shaft, a gear shifter arm having sleeves, rods at a dist-ance from said gears and parallel to said shafts, said rods being rotatable and reciprocable in said sleeves, spring pressed pins in said arm eX- tending into said sleeves, projections in said arm extending into said sleeves, projections on said rods movable into and ont of said sleeves, means to rotate said rods to bring a projection on one rod in line with the spring pressed pin in the sleeve, and means to reciprocate the rods to carry said projection into contact with said pin so that further reciprocating will actuate the shifter arm.

15. In a motor vehicle, in combination, speed changing gears, comprising a main shaft and a lay shaft, a gear shifter arm having sleeves, rods 'ata distance from said gears and parallel to said shafts, said rods being rotatable and' reciprocable in said sleeves, spring pressed pins in said arms extendinpr into said sleeves, projections on said rods movable into and ont of said sleeves, means to rotate said-rods to bring a. projection on one rod in line with the spring pressed pin in the sleeve, and clutch operating means to reciprocate the rods to carry said projection into contact with said pin so that further reciprocating will actuate the shifter arm. l

16. In a motor vehicle, in combination, speed changing gears, gea-r Shifter arms, and means for actuating one of said arms said means comprising parallel rods arranged to reciprocate in opposite directions, gearing for rotating said rods to select the shifter arm to be actuated and clutch operated means for reciprocating said rodspand the selected shifter arm.

17. In a motor vehicle, in combination, clutch operating means, two parallel reciproeable rods, one end of each rod being provided with rack teeth, a spur gear between and -meshing with the teeth on said rods,

and gearing between saidspur gear andsaid clutch operating means to reciprocate Safid.- 13,0

lrods in opposite directions at each operating of the clutch.

18. Ina motor vehicle, in combination, clutch operating means, two parallel reciprocable rods one end of each rod being provided with rack teeth and the forward end of each rod'being provided'with pinions, a

spur gear meshing with the rack teeth and a t irdpinion meshing with the pinions at the l`front end. of ,saidlrodsmeans for turning said third pinion to' .rotate said rods, and

-gearing connecting said spur` gear and said clutch operatin means to reciprocate said rods whenever t e `clutch is operated.

I9. In a motor vehicle, in combination,

"lfslpeed changing'- ars, al earshifter arm, a

ifter bar to w ich sai arm is secured, a sleeve carryin member provided with a pocket irojecting from said bar, a rod reciproca le through said sleeve, a projection on Ysaid rod arranged to enter' said pocket when the rod is reciprocated in-one direction and move the gears into neutral position, and means for reciprocatingv said rod.

20. In a motor vehicle, in combination, speed changing ears, a gear shifter arm, a shifter bar to w ich said arm is sesured, a sleeve carrying member projecting fromsaid bar,"a rod reciprocable through said sleeve,w

a pocket in said sleeve around said rod, a projection on said rod arranged to enter said sleevewhen the rod is reciprocated in one direction, and move the 'gears into neutral position, a clutch and clutch operating means for reciprocating said rod.

21. In a motor vehicle, in combina-tion, speed changing gears, gear shifter arms, rotatable and reciprocable rods for actuating said arms, means for rotating the rods to select the shifter arm to be actuated by the reciprocation of one of the rods, a clutch operating mechanism, and means controlled by said clutch operating mechanism for reciprocating the rods in one direction and shifting the gears into neutral when the clutch 1s thrown out, and for reciprocating the rods in the other direction and bringing into mesh the gear controlled by the selected shifter arm when the clutch is thrown in.

22. In a motor vehicle, in combination, speed changing gears, two gear shifter arms, two shifter bars to which the shifter arms are secured, two parallel members projecting laterally above and below each of said bars, each having at the end a sleeve parallel to the bars said sleeves each having a pocket, a rotatable and reciprocable rod passing through the upper sleeves from each bar and a silnilar rod passing through the lower sleeves from each bar, projections on Asaid rods one arranged to enter each of said pockets to shift the gears in neutral position upon the reciprocation of the rods in4 vJesse e. VINCENT. 

